The time has come. The Texas women’s basketball team faces the University of Connecticut in the round of eight on Monday night.
The Longhorns beat UCLA 72-64 on Saturday to advance to the regional finals. Texas trailed by five at halftime and six at the end of the third quarter before opening the fourth on a 10-0 run. The Horns scored 24 points in the final quarter to end the Bruins tournament run.
The University of Connecticut won its Sweet 16 game in regular Husky fashion, beating Mississippi State by 60 points. It was the largest margin of victory ever in an NCAA regional. The Huskies sit three wins short of their fourth consecutive national championship.
Texas and Connecticut have a little bit of tournament history of their own. Just last year, the Huskies ended the Longhorns tournament run in the round of 16. In the 2007-08 season, Connecticut routed Texas in the second round. And, the last time the Longhorns won an Elite Eight game, which was the 2002-03 season, the Huskies beat Texas in the Final Four before going on to win the national championship.
This year the Longhorns face the Huskies in the Elite Eight.
UCONN enters the game on a 72-game winning streak. Senior forward Breanna Stewart scored 22 points against Mississippi State in 25 minutes of play. Stewart is averaging 20.3 points a game during tournament play. The Huskies own numerous scoring options though. Freshman guard Katie Lou Samuelson recorded her second 20-point NCAA tournament game with 21 against Mississippi State. The freshman scored 22 against Robert Morris in the opening round of play. Samuelson is the third Husky with two 20-point games in tournament play as a freshman with the other two players being Maya Moore and Stewart.
Texas is having one of its better seasons in recent years. The Longhorns earned their 31st win against UCLA, giving Texas it’s first 31-win season since 1987-88. The Horns started the season undefeated, winning their first 16 games before losing to Baylor. Texas only lost three games during the regular season. The Longhorns senior center Imani Boyette has recorded 13 double-doubles this season with her first postseason double-double coming against the Bruins. Boyette became the first player in Texas history with more than 1,000 career points, 1,000 career rebounds and 200 career-blocked shots.
For the top two seeds in the Bridgeport Region, there is more than just a trip to the Final Four on the line. The Longhorns are seeking their first regional championship in 13 years while Connecticut sits one win shy of 22 consecutive NCAA tournament wins, which would set a new tournament record. The regional final tips off Monday night at 6:00 CT and can be seen on ESPN.
